The Altitude Of Your Attitude Series

What do…

Ricky Davis,

Milton Bradley, and

Kevin Johnson

… have in common?

Well, they are all great athletes who have played for Cleveland teams. But the phrase that comes to my mind is “bad attitude.” I, for sure, don’t know the details of the stories with these men and you certainly can’t believe everything you read in the papers. But it seems that in spite of their great talent, these men lost their jobs here in Cleveland because of attitude issues. I remember a quote from the great Green Bay football coach, Vince Lombardi:

If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm.

Someone said, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” It makes a big difference on a team, in an office, in a family. And it’s a big deal to God. He’s looking for players – for Christ-followers – with great attitudes.

You know me, O LORD; You see me; and You examine my heart’s attitude toward You.

Jeremiah 12:3 (NASB)

When God examines your attitude, is He pleased? Are you sinning against God – not by what you do – but by your bad attitude?

Book. Booklet. Last week, many of us confessed sins of thought. If you are just joining us today, start on p. 8. Pick up booklets in the foyer and the books in the bookstore. A word about why and how to add this to your time with God…

Lots of opportunities here at CVCC:

Spiritual growth classes catalogs.

Examining the claims of Christianity. May 2 at 11:45 in room 140.

Fresh Start (Sunday AM at 10:00 and 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at 7:30pm)

Scripture vs. tradition. May 2 at 10:00 in room 106.

We want prosperity as a nation and as individuals, but why are we experiencing so much calamity? Why are there so many broken marriages and so many rebellious children and teens? The division and the broken relationships and the bitterness in our homes and churches and businesses are epidemic.

Are you truly prospering? Or do you know calamity?

He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. How blessed is the man who fears always, but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

Proverbs 28:13-14 (NASB)

We conceal our transgressions by acting like we’re OK when we’re really not. We don’t confess our sin from a broken and contrite heart. We don’t passionately forsake our sin; but we tell God we’re sorry while harboring thoughts of going right back to the sin as soon as we finish the confession. We harden our hearts to the conviction of God’s Spirit by saying, “It’s not really that bad.” So, we don’t prosper. We know calamity. We have an incredible need for spring cleaning.

Revival begins when we understand that we are under some measure of well-deserved discipline from God. My sins have caused Him to hide His face of blessing. His face is in some way turned away from us. We’ve grieved God and caused His fullest blessing to be held back. We’ve seen some results, but they are meager compared to what God would like to do with and through and in us.

Not enough prosperity? Too much calamity? This comes from not enough fear of God. Too much concealed sin. Too much compromise. Not enough confession. Not enough forsaking of sin.

Not only do prosperity and calamity in this life hang in the balance when it comes to our passion for confession and cleansing, but heaven and hell hang in the balance. Our purity – our holiness – are proofs that we really know Jesus as Savior and Lord. Remember a verse from last week:

Make every effort… to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14, p. 176

“Wait! I’ve just received Jesus as my Savior. I thought He paved the way for me – that what I needed to do was trust Him. I did that. Now, are you telling me there’s more that I must do to be assured of heaven?”

No. But what the Bible teaches is this faith in Jesus is the root of salvation; holiness is the fruit of salvation. No fruit means there’s no root. People who say they’ve come to know Christ, but who never experience a changed life are self-deceived.

Has your life been changed? We’re all going to commit sin until the day we die. But as our Pastor of Spiritual Growth, Gary Nave, says, “We won’t be sinless; but we must sin less.” So, a person who claims to be a Christ-follower must be a person who pursues holiness.

This Spring Cleaning series is designed to help you pursue holiness – to get clean before God. Last week, we confessed sins of thought. This week, it’s our attitudes. See, one part of our holiness that we often overlook is our attitudes. But God doesn’t overlook it.